It was just not right to be proposing this ordinance to change the zoning on one of the worst intersections in Newburyport without proper review. (See Councilor Cameron’s take.) Storey Avenue is not a back street somewhere. It’s not located ‘over the hill’ like the Landfill. A great number of citizens have witnessed first hand the traffic drama generated by a Dunkin’ Donuts (A desperate need for coffee & driving is almost as bad as DUI!), a gas station, a road into a large residential area and my favorite, the 7-11. Then combine all the businesses’ driveways, the Park and Ride, the new influx soon from the Oleo Woods Residential Area, the Little River Bike Path & Nature Trail, Atria Merrimack and of course, the shopping centers.

Crosswalks are missing at Park and Ride.

Proper traffic barriers are missing to stop vehicles from hurling diagonally and perpendicularly into oncoming cars.

OKAY – YOU GET THE PICTURE.

This is why past attempts for re-zoning in this area were refused. Andy Port repeatedly said it is a simple manner. (He’s a new arrival so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he made this statement out of pure ignorance.) It definitely is not.

So here is the case of putting the cart before the horse.

AND YET, THE BENEFITS TO THE CITY ARE GREAT IF WE LET THE DEVELOPER AND THE LAND OWNER CREATE A BUSINESS HERE!

This is good capitalism. Making the argument that we do not need another CVS is not really government’s purview. That’s for the marketplace to decide. Good capitalism allows all parties concerned to mutually benefit.

Eleanor Woodman gets to sell her land and make money. The developer gets to build a new business, generate a tax-revenue producer and earns a profit from the lease. The re-directing of traffic to Low Street will force the State and the City to push traffic resolutions to the front and center and actually LISTEN to businesses and residents. The City gets a large tract of agricultural land that a local farmer (who also pays taxes) will be guaranteed to use, the City gets back into its possession a capped spring that is on this property (adding to our water resources), the City gets to protect open space in particular a watershed that is also a water resource without spending a dime of CPA open space funds. The City gets wetlands guaranteed not to be developed so that increased flooding from impervious surfaces won’t endanger industry and residents downstream. The City gets a former hunters trail that can be easily turned into the Woodman Farm Nature Trail which adds to the already extensive network of trails in this beautiful area of the City. (Plus, we stop hunting in this area so close to human occupation.)

Here is the property that is under consideration. (The Planning Director did not have clear enough maps to show everyone so this should erase some confusion.)